Parrikar promises time-bound enquiry into army firing

Delhi: A time-bound probe will be held into the firing by troops in Jammu and Kashmir that killed three civilians, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Wednesday.

The minister gave the assurance to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti when she discussed with him the Tuesday firing at Handwara in which two men and a woman were killed.

manohar parrikar Mehbooba Mufti sought a time-bound enquiry into the incident so that those responsible for the deaths were handed exemplary punishment. This, she said, would act as a deterrent against such incidents.

The chief minister said such killings shake public confidence, adversely impacting the efforts of the state government to restore peace. She also sought adequate compensation to the families of the victims.

Parrikar assured the chief minister a detailed and time-bound probe to fix the responsibility in the firing incident. The chief minister also discussed several other issues with Parrikar.

She called for speedily handing over to the state land not required by the army so that it can be used to promote tourism and to develop civic, educational and infrastructure facilities.

She sought early approval to the state government’s proposal submitted in 2014 regarding revision in the rates of rent to different categories of land held by the army.

The chief minister also demanded higher compensation to people affected by artillery firing by the military.

Mehbooba Mufti later met Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu and discussed several proposals to upgrade civic facilities in cities and towns in the state.

She pitched for inclusion of both Srinagar and Jammu as smart cities in the ‘Smart Cities Mission’ and bringing Kargil town under the ambit of AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation). Presently, Leh town is covered under the centrally-sponsored scheme.